Golf club putter head



Oct. 2, 1934. L. A. YOUNG 1,975,341

GOLF CLUB PUTTER HEAD Filed May 16, 1932 INVENTOR Zgpygz 7097. 26479,

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 2, 1934 lTiED ST TES PAT NT FFic- 1,975,341 GOLF CLUB PUTTER HEAD Leonard A. Young, l letroit, Mich. Application May 16, 1932,. Serial.l Io..611,564 k 3 Claims. (01'; 273-47) This invention relates to improvements in golf clubs and more particularly to that class of such clubs commonly known as putters. An object of the invention is to soconstruct the club that the weight of the club head will be most effectually distributed and the total weight of an iron head of extended area and bulk will be lessened to conform to the rules of the game'relating to clubs of the putter class. A further object is to pro- 10 vide, in a club of the putter class, for counteracting the effect of striking the ball off-center of the face of the head, either toward the heel or toe of this face, and to so distribute the weight of the head that it will apply the desired force in the proper manner in such cases. It is also an object to provide an insert of light weight in a putter club, which insert is so positioned as to properly distribute the weight of the head and provide a balance, and which insert is so constructed as to make it quickly applicable and will be firmly held in place but may be readily removed when desired.

With the above and other ends in view, the invention resides in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein- Figure 1 is a front side elevation of a club illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the head of the club shown in Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through said head;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section substantially upon the line 4-4 of Figure 1;

Fig. 5 is a front side elevation of the club head showing a modified construction;

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of Figure 5; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse section substantially upon the line 7-7 of Figure 5.

As shown, 1 indicates the club shaft which may be of any of the well known forms and constructions and having the usual hand grip or handle portion 2 at its upper end. Secured upon the lower end of this shaft is a head, indicated as a whole by the numeral 3 and this head is formed at one end with the usual hosel 4 to receive the lower end of this shaft 1.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, said head, which is preferably formed of metal, is formed with a central recess 5 of substantially rectangular form opening through the top only of said head, and in this recess is placed a pair of like 5 blocks 6 of wood or other material which is much lighter in weight than the metalfrom which the head is formed so that the total weight of the club head will be reduced thereby. 7

These blocks 6 are firmlyand removably held in place within said recess by forming each block with a horizontal side rib '7 to engage a corresponding groove in the adjacent side wall of the recess, said blocks being of a length to closely fit within said recessbut of a combined width which is. less thanthe Width of said recess so that said blocks" may be readily inserted in said recess through its open upper side and then spread apart to engage their ribs 7 within the corresponding grooves in the opposite walls of the recess, by a downwardly tapering wedge member I 8 which, When forced into said recess between the adjacent sides of said blocks, will wedge said blocks apart Within, the recess and force the ribs '7 into the grooves in the'walls of the recess to firmly hold the blocks in place, said wedge 8 being firmly held in said recess by such wedging action, but may be removed therefrom to release said blocks if so desired.

Preferably the recess 5 does not extend clear through the head from top to bottom thereof, but extends to a short distance from the lower face of the head, thus leaving a bottom wall 9 for the recess which forms a continuation of the lower face of the head, and as shown in Figure 2 where the rear side of the head is curved in the direction of the length of the head, this end of said recess may be correspondingly curved, the'ends of the blocks 6 and wedge 8 abutting this end of the recess being also correspondingly curved transversely to closely fit within said recess.

Preferably, the ball contacting face of the head is formed with what may be termed a straight portion or a portion parallel with the longitudinal axial plane of the shaft 1 throughout a portion of said face intermediate its ends as at 10, which portion is opposite the end of the recess 5 and the end portions of this face at the opposite ends of this central straight portion or at the toe and heel portions of the head, are preferably formed, as indicated at 11 and 12, at a slight angle to said straight central portion 10, each end portion slanting outwardly or forwardly from the end of the straight portion to the end of the head. This forward slanting of the toe portion of the club face is provided so that in striking the ball, should the club be swung so that it strikes the ball slightly in advance of the face portion 10 coming to a position exactly at right angles to the desired line of drive, the face of this toe portion 11, will, at the time it strikes the ball, because of its angular position, be exactly at right angles to the desired line of drive and will therefore drive the ball along this desired line. A corresponding effect is secured through making the heel portion 12 at a slight angle to the central portion 10, the ball being driven along the desired line when the heel portion 12 strikes the ball. When the central portion 10 of the club face strikes the ball, the ball will be propelled along a direct line in theusual manner.

In the modified construction shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the recess in the club head 3 opens not only through the top of the head, but also through the front face of the head, said recess being formed with side walls 13 which slant downwardly from the top of the club toward the ends of the head and the block of wood 4 or other light material has sides similarly inclined so. that when in place this block can not lift up and be removed through the top of the head. This block is inserted in said recess endwise through the end thereof which opens through the face .of the head, and is of a size, shape, and length to completely fill said recess and fit so tightly therein that it will not be displaced in use but may be removed endwise, if so desired. The end of this block when in place, is flush with the front face of the club head and is of a width to form the straight central portion 10 of said front face, the portions of the front face of the head proper, at each side of this block being slightly inclined as at 11 and 12 at the toe and heel portions respectively, The ball when struck at the center of the driving face of the head, therefore strikes the end of this block. By removing the metal of the head centrally thereof or midway between its ends, to form the recess 5 to receive the block or blocks, the balance of the club is not affected as approximately forty per cent of the total weight of the head will be left at each end of the head at each side of said recess, and the block or blocks filling this recess are so proportioned in weight to the weight of the head, that approximately twenty per cent of the weight will lie back of the ball when it strikes the central part 10 of the face and forty per cent at each side of this contact point.

Obviously other changes may be made in the construction and arrangement, within the scope of the appended claims, and such changes are contemplated.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is:-

' 1. A putter golf club including a shaft, an elongated head to one end of which said shaft is secured, said head being formed with a forward ball contacting face withthe toe and heel portions of said face extending forwardly towards the ends of said head, said head being formed inter- -mediate its toe and heel portions with a recess with opposite walls of said recess formed with grooves, blocks fitting in said recess and formed with ribs to engage in said grooves, and a wedge member between said blocks.

2. A golf club including a shaft, an elongated head secured to one end thereof, said head having a recess formed therein between the ends thereof, blocks fitted in the ends of said recess and spaced apart, and a wedge inserted between said blocks.

3, A golf club including a shaft, an elongated head secured to one end thereof, said head having a recess formed therein between the ends thereof, blocks fitted in the ends of said recess and spaced apart, locking means between each block and the adjacent end wall of the recess, and'a wedge inserted between said blocks,

LEONARD A. YOUNG. 

